


A Helping Hand

by momotastic



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Disability, Disabled Character, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 20:53:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16709857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momotastic/pseuds/momotastic
Summary: Merlin and Arthur are trying to move furniture. Things... don't quite go the way you'd expect them.





	A Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for COiNELOT Reincarnated, a Merthur convention that was held in September 2018 in Canterbury, Kent.

“I can’t believe you threw that at me!” Arthur says, rubbing the spot on his chest where Merlin’s prosthetic arm had hit him a minute ago. 

“You deserved it,” Merlin huffs, trying and failing to cross his arms in front of his chest because… well, because he’s missing an arm to do it properly.

“I only asked if you needed a hand to move that bookcase!” Arthur protests. He bends down to pick up Merlin’s prosthetic and takes a couple of moments checking it over for damage. Merlin knows there’s none. Arthur’s chest isn’t _that_ solid, and the carpet in Merlin’s study is fairly thick.

“Yeah, you did, implying that I didn’t have enough limbs and/or strength to move it on my own!” Merlin says. He steps closer and snatches his arm out of Arthur’s hands. It only takes a couple of practised moves to reattach it, and Merlin flexes his fingers and bends his elbow a couple of times to test that everything’s back where it belongs. It is.

“No!” Arthur protests. “I asked because the damn thing is made from solid wood and not one of those cheap IKEA self-assembly things that are more cardboard than anything else. It’s a bloody heavy piece of furniture and I think the only person who could lift, let alone carry it comfortably by himself, is Percy.”

Merlin blinks at Arthur. “Oh,” he says after a few moments of awkward silence. “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”

Arthur rolls his eyes. “Will do next time. So, do you need help moving that thing or not?”

Merlin shrugs. “Guess so.”

“Alright, then,” Arthur replies, using that patient-sounding voice that means that he’s indulging Merlin even though he thinks Merlin’s being a bit of a pillock. Merlin doesn’t mind. He has special voices that tell Arthur the exact same thing as well, so it all evens out.

They move the bookcase to its new spot in Merlin’s study, and Arthur was right — the thing is bloody heavy and unwieldy, even when they carry it together. 

Afterwards, they lean against it while they catch their breath.

“Next time,” Arthur says, “we’ll call Percy and let him do all the heavy lifting.”

“Deal,” Merlin responds, and then leans over to kiss Arthur. “Thanks for helping though.”

“You know me, Merlin. Always happy to lend a helping hand.”

Arthur laughs at his own terrible pun, and Merlin considers throwing his arm again. Instead, he just kisses Arthur some more — that’s a more effective technique to shut him up anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](momotastic27.tumblr.com)!
> 
> All feedback loved, even if you just paste a line that you liked :D.


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